Second Book is Available.

It's my pleasure to announce that the second story of mine "No Lights" has been published and available for pre-order in the anthology Isolation at the link below. Please keep in mind that for this publication, I'm paid per books sold, so if you really want to support me buy one for yourself, insignificant other, estranged children, even your pets.

Help take the 'struggling' out of my title, buy this book.
Postmortem-Press

Rejection #7: Full Circle

Hi Alex,

Thanks again for your submission. Unfortunately we are unable to use the story in Damnation and Dames.

Regards,
L** and A*****


This rejection is for the same story that was in rejection #6, however they weren't as encouraging as the last.  I understand that editors have to read hundreds of stories for these anthologies, but I'd appreciate a little something to show that they actually read it, or better yet why they were "unable to use the story". Although this story's been rejected twice now, I have hopes for this year, stay tuned for exciting news for me and azarrising.blogspot.com

Falcons

Falcons

by Alex Azar

 There was nearly a year gap in-between ‘E’ and ‘F’ not because I couldn’t think of what to write, but I had been focusing on some of my other work, and unfortunately let the Alphabet Project fall by the wayside. Once I did decide to write this, it came pretty naturally, and really reinvigorated me to do this, so much so that it was done in a day. And I really like this one for two particular reasons; one, the first line. Not even, the first part of the first line, I feel really should grab your attention. And secondly, the story is disturbing, but on a different level than most of my other stuff, like Anger Management, enjoy!

Freddie’s mom lied to him when she said his dad was an ornithologist; well she actually called him a bird specialist. His father had, in fact, left them for a girl half his age when Freddie wasn’t even a year old. This lie, however, lasted longer. Approaching the big ‘one-oh,’ Freddie still thinks his dad is studying exotic birds in Madagascar.

An avid bird watcher in his own right, Freddie grew to love all things ‘bird.’ And lacking any male guidance or figurehead, he unknowingly attempted to fill that void with another love, comics. Living a dual life like one of the heroes from his books; Freddie spent half the time as his mom’s little bird genius, and the other half as a comic recluse who lacked all social skills.

Trying to encourage both of his passions, his mother helped him fuse the two into a comic character they called Falcon-Man. This brought the two closer, but didn’t help Freddie gain any friends.

Falcon-Man was everything Freddie looked for in life, a loving father to his son Birdie, able to communicate with birds, fly, a genuine hero. This was the person he pictured his father to be, when he allowed himself the luxury of ignoring the truth he knew in his heart.

Unfortunately, this obsession had an adverse affect on Freddie, who now only answered to Falcon-Man, even at school, often to be ridiculed and nicknamed Birdbrain. He spent most of his days in his own world, with hand towels tied to his arms in place for Falcon-Man’s wings. He would cry and threaten to hurt himself whenever his mother would take the towels in order to wash them.

Afraid of what might happen if this continued, his mother sent him to a psychiatrist. After a few sessions, the psychiatrist suggested to try and integrate other children into his world to build social skills. And from there, try to bring him into their world.

Freddie’s mom set up some play dates with other kids from his school. Some of the other kids really got into the world of Falcon-Man, particularly the boy who played Birdie, a product of a single parent home as well. These play dates were to culminate at Freddie’s costume birthday party at their apartment.

There was no question what Freddie wanted to be for the party, nor Birdie, who arrived in a homemade costume that left much to be desired. Falcon-Man, on the other hand, wore a hand sewn spandex/pleather outfit complete with helmet and wings made of wire and mesh.

As the kids went about their business, Freddie’s mom thanked the other parents for allowing their children to play with Freddie who has become the 4^th grade black sheep. As the women went about their conversing, which gave way to gossip, the children continued to play throughout the apartment.

One of the children who was several years older than the rest, but was kept back due to a ‘lack of initiative’ mocked Falcon-Man and Birdie for acting like such babies. Birdie stood up for the two exclaiming the bully wouldn’t call them babies if he saw what Falcon-Man could do.

After listing off the various powers that comic Falcon-Man has, Birdie ended with flying, saying it in a way he believed meant the end of the argument. Bully didn’t seem impressed and asked to see it. So while the parents talked in the kitchen and living room, the children made their way up the stairs to the building roof, complete with pigeon coup.

Birdie tried telling Freddie that he didn’t think this was a good idea, that this wasn’t the comics, but Falcon-Man would have none of that. Bully pushed Birdie out of the way, telling him to shut up and let the hero fly if he wants to fly.

At this point the parents noticed the lack of noise coming from the children, and began searching throughout the building. Falcon-Man, standing on the ledge of the 10-story building, looks back to Bully and Birdie, telling them not to worry he’s ready to fly.

Just as Falcon-Man is about to take flight his mother exits the front of the building and looks up to see her son standing on the ledge of the building with his arms stretched out. She yells, pleading for him to get off the ledge and back in the building. Looking down Freddie sees his mom and waves to her, not quite hearing what she said. Still waving to his mom Freddie shouts back telling her not to worry, “I’m going to see dad finally.” His words weren’t heard over the noise of the traffic, but his mother, ten floors down knew their intent and was helpless to stop what happened next, as she watched her son take flight.

Empire State Building

Empire State Building

by Alex Azar

This is another story that took me six days to think of and not much time to actually write.  I was reading up on the building when I came across this little known fact about it, which shaped the story to come.  I'm most happy with this story because it shows there’s more to me than ‘Anger Management.’

“Sweetie, did you call the hall yet?” Tricia asks while slipping on her shoe, supporting herself on the bedpost.  Not even looking in Eric’s direction, Tricia knows from his delay in answering, he hasn’t called. 

Making sure his tie is on straight he sees her in the mirror and, before she can yell at him, Eric explains, “Trish, I have a surprise, but it needs to wait another week.”

“What does this surprise have to do with you reserving the hall?”

“The surprise is the hall.” Knowing this is going to start an argument, Eric turns around and puts his hands up defensively.  “I know. I know we decided on Excelsior, but I know that’s not what you wanted, right?”

“Right, but…”

“But nothing, we are going to have a small reception right?  Your parents, and sister, my sister and her husband, my cousin, and some friends are the only people we’re inviting, right?  So, why are we going to rent out a hall your not happy with for about ten people?”

“So, what? You don’t want to have a reception?  We’re already not getting married in a church…”

“Hey we both decided we didn’t want to get married in a church, and this is dealing with that.” Eric is still holding his hands up defensively waiting for Tricia to become fed up with his secrecy game.

“Wait, are you trying to change where we get married too?  What happened?  We decided on the conservatory for the ceremony, and you were supposed to be calling the Excelsior for the reception.”

Wanting to see how long he can keep pushing Tricia till she’s had too much, Eric nudges a little further, “I was thinking we change the date also…” Eric pauses, waiting for Tricia to burst in a furious rage of curses and otherwise harsh words, but instead she simply stands in front of him, mouth hung open, shoulders slumped low, and if Eric were to look closely he would have seen her left eye twitching uncontrollably, however, he’s too impressed with his plan.  He doesn’t notice these things; only that she’s not interrupting him, so he continues.  “I mean, why get married on the 16^th of February?  Just because it’s a Saturday?  We chose that time of year because of Valentine’s Day, but instead of getting married on the 14^th you want to settle on something else.  First we’re not getting the kind of hall you want because we can’t afford it, then you have to compromise the conservatory because there’s another wedding the same day, and now we’re going to change the date you want to get married because it’s not on a weekend.  I can’t take it anymore.  I may not be able to afford everything you deserve, but I promised you at least the wedding will be all you’re worth and more.”

With her eye no longer twitching, Tricia calms down, but is no closer to figuring out what Eric has planned.  “Eric, Sweetie, that’s romantic, it really is, but it’s already December and we need to get everything settled soon.”

“I know, honey trust me I know, and all I’m asking for is another week and a half.”

“But that’s Christmas time, what’s going to happen then?”

He holds up his hand extending his index finger, asking Tricia to wait, as he shuffles through his brief case, on the counter next to the bed.  Fishing out the single piece of paper he’s looking for, he hands it to Tricia, “Here.  Read this.”

Still confused, Tricia notices the sincerity in his eyes and the tone of his voice.  She knows he’s no longer trying to be secretive and telling her all she wants to know with this paper.  Instantly she sees that it’s a bad photocopy of another piece of paper he had hand written, she knows her computer savvy husband must be trying to make a point by hand writing whatever is said in this letter.  She delays no longer, and reads:

Dear Melanie Maasch,

It has recently come to my attention that it is possible to have my wedding ceremony performed at the Empire State Building on February 14^th, on Valentine’s Day.  I understand you only choose several couples for this privilege, all based on a letter sent to you explaining why they deserve to have their wedding at the most romantic place in the world.  I would love to say that my fiancé, Tricia, and myself met there, or that I worked there when her and I met, or that our first date was at the Empire State Building.  Although we did have dinner once at Chipotle within the Empire State Building, but that was long after I had proposed to her and we were planning on getting married.  She did comment how beautiful the building looked at night as we passed by one night, and Sleepless in Seattle is one of her favorite movies, but aside from those minor details we have no strong ties to the building.  And I know there may be other couples more deserving of having their special day at your establishment, but no bride-to-be is more deserving to have the most romantic wedding imaginable, than my Tricia.  Unfortunately, I’m not a wealthy man, nor is she a wealthy woman, and we can’t afford the kind of wedding she’s envisioned since she was a child.  And for this reason, and this reason alone, I implore that you find my wife worthy of having her special day, to truly be a special day that she will remember for the rest of her life.  Whatever you choose, I thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

Eric Bertrand

With tears in her eyes, and her hands shaking immensely Tricia wouldn’t be able to read any more of the letter, if it were any longer.  She tries several times to say something, anything, but all that comes out are choked up sobs.  Assuming this is a good reaction, Eric hugs Tricia, holding her tightly against his chest. 

Wiping the tears from her eyes, and those that trailed down her cheeks, Tricia looks up at Eric, finally able to speak whole words, “We should tell my parents we won’t be making it to dinner tonight.” and places a deep, long passionate kiss on Eric’s lips.  Whether they notified her parents or not, it’s safe to assume they didn’t make it to dinner that night.  Having decided to not tell anyone of their potential wedding plans, until they knew for sure one way or the other, they had lied to her parents saying that Eric wasn’t feeling well.

The following week and a half felt like half a year for the couple.  With Christmas only two days away, and still no response they began to fear the worst, until Eric remembered that whether they were chosen or not, they will receive a response.  They both have trouble sleeping that night, Eric has troubling thoughts of other couples who have stronger ties to the building receiving the blessing, and Tricia finding it hard after all the turmoil of her short life, that a childhood dream of hers could still come to pass.  She may never have thought about getting married in the Empire State Building, but after reading Eric’s letter, no other ceremony will please her the way this will. 

After hours of uneasy sleep the two wake up in each others’ arms, and want to run to their mailbox, but know the mail won’t arrive for another two hours.  And again these two hours seem to be the longest moment of their lives.  They currently forget that it is Christmas Eve, they are completely unaware that later that very night they will be having dinner with her parents and his sister.  All they are conscious of is that the mailwoman is already five minutes late. 

Giving up waiting for the mail second by excruciating second, Eric and Tricia decide to have breakfast then check the mail.  As they turn from the window, they hear the familiar squeak of rusty hinges and moments later the clank of metal, which today might as well be the mailwoman trumpeting that their fate has arrived.  The couple runs out the door and grabs the mail from the box before the mailwoman even takes three steps.  Eric has the mail in his hand and begins tossing the letters to the floor one by one as he notices they aren’t from the Empire State Building, or Melanie Maasch, but in traditional fashion they’re mail is littered with unwanted pictures of other couple’s kids. Fortunately, halfway through the pile Eric comes across an envelope that’s not so boxy like the others but instead an elongated business class envelope adorned with a crude image meant to be the glorious Empire State Building, and just below the image is the name “Melanie Maasch.”  Eric hesitates opening the envelope, and his anxious fiancé not wanting to wait anymore rips it from his hand and tears the envelope open.  She unfolds the letter and with Eric looking over her shoulder, they read together.

Dear Mr. Eric Bertrand.

……………

First Book is Here!

I would like to invite everyone to purchase the anthology School Days from Static Movement. It contains my first published story called "I Knew we Kept you Around for a Reason".
Please follow the link below:
Buy my book here!

After you get the book, please let me know what you think, thank you.

Have a good one.